1915 : Jane Addams writes to Woodrow Wilson about dangers of preparing for war

On October 29, 1915, Jane Addams, a leading American social activist, writes to United States President Woodrow Wilson, warning him of the potential dangers of readying the country to enter the First World War.

When World War I broke out in the summer of 1914, President Wilson accurately reflected the isolationist view of the majority of Americans when he called the war a cause "with which we have nothing to do, whose causes cannot touch us." In the wake of the German sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915—which left 1,201 people dead, including 128 Americans—public opinion, along with U.S. governmental policy, began to turn ever more steadily towards entrance into the war against the Central Powers. Before the end of that year, Wilson had issued a call to improve U.S. military preparedness, including a spike in the production of armaments and a twofold increase in the size of the army.

Addams, the celebrated founder of Hull House, a social settlement that served as a welfare agency for needy families in Chicago, had also become a leading international voice for peace and the chairwoman of the Women’s Peace Party. In April 1915, she attended the International Congress of Women at The Hague in the Netherlands, an assemblage of women from around the world, including the belligerent nations, who advocated a non-violent method of conflict resolution. Disturbed by Wilson’s call for increased military preparedness, Addams wrote to the president on October 29 of that year in the name of the Women’s Peace Party.

Above all, Addams expressed concern that the rich, powerful U.S. was setting an example for other, poorer nations, who would feel compelled to increase their own preparedness and move the world ever further from the ideal of peace and international cooperation. "At this crisis of the world, to establish a ‘citizen soldiery’ and enormously to increase our fighting equipment would inevitably make all other nations fear instead of trust us," Adams argued. "It has been the proud hope of American citizens who love their kind, a hope nobly expressed in some of your own messages, that to the United States might be granted the unique privilege not only of helping the war-worn world to a lasting peace, but of aiding toward a gradual and proportional lessening of that vast burden of armament which has crushed to poverty the people of the old world."

Wilson assured Addams at the time that he had no intention of leading the U.S. into war; he was in fact re-elected that November on the slogan "He Kept Us Out of War." By the following spring, however, events—including continued German aggression at sea and an intercepted telegram from the German foreign office proposing an alliance between Germany and Mexico in the case of war with the U.S.—had seemingly conspired to change his mind and to turn the tide of American public opinion more fully toward intervention against the Central Powers. On April 2, 1917, Wilson delivered his war message to Congress; the U.S. formally entered World War I four days later.

Addams continued her work with the Women’s Peace Party, which in 1919 became the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). As the WILPF’s first president, she served until 1929; she also assisted Herbert Hoover, head of the American Relief Administration, with that organization’s efforts to provide food supplies for millions in poverty-stricken post-war Europe. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, Addams died four years later; her funeral was held in the courtyard of Hull House.

The battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October 1914, was part of the first battle of Ypres. After the failures of earlier attacks by the fourth and sixth armies, Falkenhayn created a new formation, Army Group Fabeck. General Fabeck was given six divisions – the 30th, 39th, 26th divisions, 3rd and 4th Bavarian Divisions and the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division. This new formation was created specifically to launch the big attack on the British line between Ploegsteert Wood and Gheluvelt.

The big attack was due to start on 30 October. On 29 October a preliminary assault was planned, with the aim of capturing the village of Gheluvelt. This attack failed to capture the village, although it did briefly threaten to break the British lines, but the Germans did capture the Gheluvelt crossroads, east of the village.

The first big attack, on 30 October captured the village of Zandvoorde, but did not achieve the expected breakthrough. The crisis came on 31 October. A number of German troops broke into the British lines south of Gheluvelt. For once a potential advantage was turned into a real breakthrough. After a prolonged bombardment the village was captured. The advancing Germans suffered heavy casualties, but were in a position to launch the final attack on Ypres.

The situation was restored by a dramatic counterattack. Brigadier General FitzClarence, command of the 1st (Guards) Brigade, found the last reserves, 364 men of the 2nd Worcesters, and sent to them to retake Gheluvelt château, just east of the village. The British regulars crossed 1,000 yards of open ground, losing a third of their men, and then launched a bayonet charge against some 1,200 German troops outside the château. The German force was made up entirely of reserve units, and after a short but brutal fight fled. Combined with a second counterattack by the 7th Division, the Worcesters had restored the British line. The French provided reinforcements, taking over part of the newly extended line. The German near-breakthrough at Gheluvelt would remain the clossest they came to breaking the Allied lines around Ypres until 1918.

Rickard, J (25 August 2007), Battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October 1914 , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_gheluvelt.html_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.

At the beginning of the 20th century large area of the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire, was ruled by the Sultan of Turkey, Abdul Hamid II and his appointed Grand Vizier. However, the governors of the Empire's four provinces: Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan and Arabia enjoyed a certain amount of autonomy.

A series of military defeats in the 19th century had compelled the Turks to grant zones of influence to European powers: Britain (Egypt), France (Syria and the Lebanon), Austria-Hungary (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Italy (Libya). Russia was interested in Armenia and Italy wanted parts of the eastern Mediterranean.

Abdul Hamid II was forced to summon a parliament in 1908 by the Young Turks movement. He attempted a counter revolution in April 1909, and when this failed he was deposed and exiled to Salonika. Enver Pasha, eventually emerged as the new leader of the country.

In 1914 the Ottoman Empire contained an estimated 25 million people. Although there were 14 million Turks, there was also large Arab, Assyrians, Armenian, Kurdish, Greek and Circassion minorities within the Empire. As a result, there existed nationalist, separatist movements in several areas of the territory under the control of the Turks.

The Turkish Army was made up of Anatolian Turks, Arabs, Armenians, Kurds and Syrians. The army performed badly during the Balkan Wars (1912-13) and it was clear that there was great need for reform. In 1913 Turkish government invited the German Liman von Sanders to help modernize its army.

Under threat from within and outside its borders, the Turkish government sought a protective agreement from one of the two European power blocs: the Triple Alliance or the Triple Entente. As Turkey was mainly concerned about Russian expansion, it decided in July 1914, to sign a defensive alliance with Germany. This remained a secret agreement and Turkey continued to have talks with other European countries.

On 29th October 1914, Turkey and Germany launched an attack on Russian Navy bases in the Black Sea. Turkey now revealled it was a member of the Central Powers and was at war with Russia, France and Britain.

The following paper appeared on WW1-L in December 1999, and is reproduced here by permission.

Another long post, which I hope some may find of interest, on the events of late October and November 1914 in the Black Sea. The situation was so complex it is impossible to describe in a few short paragraphs, so please forgive the use of bandwidth.

On 22 October 1914 Turkish Minister of War Enver presented the Germans with his war plans. Enver maintained that, due to the continued uncertainty in the Balkans, substantial Turkish forces would have to remain in Thrace. The options that remained were, in the main, those that had been canvassed in the preceding months: the proclamation of a jihad against the Entente; the dispatch of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (though this would take some time); diversionary operations against Russian land forces in the Caucasus; seek out and attack the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Of the four options, only the last promised immediate results; the plans were unhesitatingly approved by the Germans. One final hurdle remained for Enver. Now, at the last minute, Halil and Talaat began to waver. There was even talk of Halil and Hafiz going to Berlin to plead for another six months' neutrality as Turkish arms remained inadequate for the task. It was too late. Enver promptly resorted to subterfuge by handing Souchon a sealed order to commence hostilities against Russia without a formal declaration of war. If, however, Enver found that he could not persuade his colleagues to acquiesce in such a radical course the Minister for War would instruct Souchon not to open the orders - this was to be the pre-arranged signal that, to force the issue, Souchon himself would have to manufacture an incident. Wangenheim, however, was not at all satisfied with this arrangement. On 23 October the Ambassador sent the Commander of the German Naval Base, Humann, to see Enver who, typically, was not in his office. Humann thereupon dictated a note to Colonel Kiazim Bey, Enver's A.D.C.:

German Ambassador is of opinion that Fleet Commander Admiral Souchon must have in his hands a written declaration from Enver Pasha if Souchon is to carry out Enver's plan to cause Russian incident. Otherwise, in case of military failure or political defeat for Enver, a grave compromise of German policy with extremely fatal consequences is inevitable.

Enver's subterfuge had been designed to override opposition from his own side and did not take into account Wangenheim's last-minute faint-heartedness. In the circumstances, there was little that Enver could do but comply, which he did two days later:

War Minister Enver Pasha to Admiral Souchon October 25, 1914 The entire fleet should manoeuvre in Black Sea. When you find a favourable opportunity, attack the Russian fleet. Before initiating hostilities, open my secret order personally given you this morning. To prevent transport of material to Serbia, act as already agreed upon. Enver Pasha. [Secret order] The Turkish fleet should gain mastery of Black Sea by force. Seek out the Russian fleet and attack her wherever you find her without declaration of war. Enver Pasha.

Wangenheim, too, had some final instructions for Souchon: "(1) put to sea immediately, (2) no aimlessness, but war by all means, (3) if possible, report soon to Berlin on operative intentions."

Souchon now had a surprise for Enver. Rather than an incident at sea, the Admiral had determined upon the far more provocative scheme of attacking the Russian coast! On that afternoon the German officers began to leave the congenial environment of the steamship General to rejoin their ships, German or Turkish, which were congregated around Goeben. Aboard Breslau orders were issued to set out for the Black Sea for scouting practice; Lieutenant Doenitz later recorded that word had been received that the Russians were sowing mines at the entrance to the Bosphorus and that Souchon planned to cut off their retreat! In reality the plan was for a simultaneous attack at four locations - Sebastopol, Theodosia, Novorossisk and Odessa - early on the morning of 29 October. Goeben, accompanied by two torpedo boats and a gun boat, would go to Sebastopol; the targets for Breslau (accompanied by Berk) and Hamidieh would be Novorossisk and Theodosia respectively; while Odessa would be attacked by three torpedo boats. The fleet sailed on the evening of 27 October. One of the torpedo boats detailed for Odessa developed engine trouble and turned back; the remaining two (Muavenet and Gairet) sighted the lights of Odessa at 3 a.m. on the 29th. On a moonless night the boats were unsure as to how to enter the harbour when, fortuitously, three steamers emerged, the first showing lights. The Turkish vessels quickly ran past the emerging ships, into the harbour and, from about 70 yards, put a torpedo into the Russian gunboat Donetz. One French and three Russian steamers were also damaged, as were shore installations and a sugar factory.

The premature bombardment had, though, ruined Souchon's plan for simultaneous attacks, as Goeben was still some hours away from Sebastopol. At 4 a.m. she intercepted a Russian W/T message, en clair, reporting the Odessa action so that when, just before 6.30 a.m., Goeben sighted her target, the shore batteries had been alerted and were prepared for action. Goeben's bombardment of fifteen minutes' duration did not go unanswered and she received at least three hits from heavy shells, one of which resulted in a boiler being shut down. While this was going on the Russian minelayer Pruth (loaded with 110 mines) blundered on to the scene and was promptly scuttled by her crew who viewed their ship as being no more than a giant floating bomb waiting to be detonated. Three modern Russian destroyers attempted to chase the fleeing attackers but abandoned their effort when the leading boat was hit.

At the same time Hamidieh arrived at Theodosia. With no opposition evident a German and a Turkish officer proceeded on shore to give notice of the coming bombardment, to enable civilians to evacuate the area. A similar warning was delivered at Novorossisk by Berk which eventually opened fire shortly before Breslau arrived. Breslau did not, in fact, reach the port till 10.50 a.m., having first laid a barrage of 60 mines in the Kertch Straits, then, with her engines stopped, she commenced a leisurely bombardment of over 300 shells in two hours concentrating first on the oil tanks on shore, before shifting her aim to the ships in the harbour, ultimately sinking 14 vessels including (in contradiction to the German Official History) the British registered steel schooner Friedericke. All the Turco-German ships returned safely to the Bosphorus.

News of the attack, which was received in London at 5.45 that evening, 29 October, was already common knowledge in Constantinople that afternoon. Djemal, dining at the fashionable Cercle d'Orient, was reported to have reacted furiously when he became aware of the news and to have denied vehemently any knowledge of the attack; when Vere (the Armstrong-Vickers representative) saw Djemal at 9.30 that night to ask if the rumours were true, the Pasha =- still professing to know nothing about the Black Sea incident - lost his temper and shouted, "That swine Admiral von Souchon has done this." While Djemal's protestations of innocence may, or may not have been, genuine even Liman von Sanders subsequently denied any foreknowledge of the attack upon the Russian coast.

Mallet saw the Russian and French Ambassadors, Giers and Bompard, that evening and they agreed between them to suggest that, as the Ottoman Government must have had prior knowledge of, and authorized, the attacks, the Porte should be instructed to "choose between rupture with Triple Entente or dismissal of German naval and military missions." Mallet should have been spared the necessity of having to make such a fatuous demand as the following day - 30 October - Giers was instructed to ask for his passports and Mallet, following his own instructions, proposed to do the same; however his telegram informing Grey of his intention crossed with one from the Foreign Secretary directing Mallet to send in a note to the Porte expressing "the utmost surprise of the wanton attacks made upon open and undefended towns of a friendly country without any warning and without the slightest provocation." Mallet was to demand that the Turkish Government dismiss the German missions and repatriate the German sailors; they would have twelve hours to produce a satisfactory reply to the note, otherwise Mallet was then to ask for his passports.

At thirty-five minutes past midnight that night (30/31 October) a warning telegram was sent by the Admiralty to all Mediterranean commands informing them of the twelve hour time limit. The countdown to war now appeared a formality. Yet British Ambassador Mallet, encouraged by what he believed to be credible internal opposition on the 30th, still held out a last lingering hope. The shock of Souchon's fait accompli had reverberated throughout the Porte that day in a series of confused and emotional meetings convened by the Turks. At the first of these the vote was 17-10 in favour of intervention upon which Said Halim, Djavid and three other ministers promptly resigned. Enver had not, apparently, counted on Said Halim taking so principled a stand and the Minister for War promptly went to work: he could not afford to lose Said Halim as the Grand Vizier was a useful figurehead who might, additionally, be able to buy time by continuing to string along the Entente Powers. So it was that, subject to heavy pressure at the second meeting that day, Said Halim returned to the fold, reluctant as ever to give up the sybaritic pleasures of his post. In one sense the arguments were irrelevant as Souchon's action had moved the debate away from being a purely Turkish decision: Russian soil and Russian ships had been shelled; Russian sailors and civilians killed; and, incidentally, a British ship had been sunk. Souchon could no longer be disavowed.

Mallet subsequently had a "very painful" interview with the Grand Vizier, who was said to have pleaded "Do not abandon me". This, and Djavid's report of that day's meeting, given to the French Ambassador, resulted in Mallet informing Grey that he was "unwilling to leave if there is slightest chance of change in situation during next twenty-four hours." The situation, however, deteriorated rapidly: Giers, the Russian Ambassador, left on 31 October, while Morgenthau, the American Ambassador, advised Mallet in strict confidence to go as soon as possible for, from the information at Morgenthau 's disposal, there was "no chance of favourable solution." Mallet, who planned to leave that same evening, responded to one final plea from the Grand Vizier and consented to stay over till 1 November to allow another interview to be scheduled. This last act of consideration for Said Halim was unnecessary: at 5.05 p.m., 31 October, the order went out from the Admiralty to all ships, "Commence hostilities at once against Turkey. Acknowledge." The smoke that rose from the Embassy garden told its own forlorn story: "the documents and records of British achievements in Turkey for over one hundred years were slowly burning before the eyes of the Ambassador and his Secretaries. It was the funeral pyre of England"s vanishing power in the Ottoman Empire."

Mallet and Ryan drove out to Said Halim's country residence late on the afternoon of 1 November but, as Ryan had foreseen, "the meeting produced no change in an irremedial situation." Together with the French, Mallet and his staff left that evening by train to Dedeagatch (the only exit as the Dardanelles remained closed) and there boarded the SS Ernest Simon on 2 November. From Dedeagatch they proceeded via Athens and Malta to Marseilles, then by train to Dieppe, finally reaching London on 11 November. After Mallet had taken his leave on the evening of 1 November, Said Halim had other visitors: the Grand Vizier was again wavering and Enver and Talaat arrived to ensure his final adherence to the cause. Although now abandoned, and with war inevitable (and Talaat reminded Said Halim that it was he who had signed the alliance with Germany and would, therefore, be responsible for the consequences) it apparently still took a threat to his life to persuade the Prince to comply.

Somewhat embarrassingly, Russian Foreign Minister Sazonov hesitated over declaring war on Turkey even though the attack upon his homeland had been flagrant and unprovoked and the Ambassador had been withdrawn on 31 October. Such unexpected circumspection was the result of Sazonov's desire for Turkey to remain intact until at least 1917, when Russia would be strong enough herself to force the issue of the Straits, his quarrel was with Germany and Austria-Hungary. Rather like the Grand Vizier, Sazonov seemed to believe that, by ignoring the problem, it might go away; only a direct order from the Tsar secured the Russian declaration of war against Turkey on 2 November. This unanticipated Russian intransigence resulted in Britain involuntarily leading the way to strike back at the Turks.

At the Cabinet on 2 November Grey reported that the situation in Turkey was still obscure; despite this, the general opinion was that, after what had happened, there should be a vigorous offensive and every effort should be made to bring in Greece, Bulgaria and, above all, Roumania. "Henceforward', Asquith reported to the King, "Great Britain must finally abandon the formula of 'Ottoman integrity' whether in Europe or in Asia." While the politicians debated, far away, off the Dardanelles, the last futile act of the drama was being played out. On the back of the Admiralty copy of Grey's telegram to Mallet of 30 October, which set the Turks a twelve hour time limit to respond to the British ultimatum, Churchill had written in blunt red pencil, "1 S[ea] L[ord]. Admiral Slade shd be asked to state his opinion on the possibility & advisability of a bombardment of the sea face forts of the Dardanelles. It is a good thing to give a prompt blow." Slade replied the same day:

A bombardment of the sea face of the Dardanelles Forts offers very little prospect of obtaining any effect commensurate with the risk to the ships. The Forts are difficult to locate from the sea at anything like the range at which they will have to be engaged. The guns in the Forts at the entrance are old Krupp and would probably be outranged by those in the Fleet, but it is not known where the new guns 16.5" Krupp said to have been mounted by the Germans are situated. It may be possible to make a demonstration to draw the fire of these guns & make them disclose themselves trusting to lack of training of the gunners, but it would not be advisable to risk serious damage to any of the battle cruisers as long as the Goeben is effective, A little target practice from 15 to 12 thousand yards might be useful....

The following day, 1 November, the order was sent to Admiral Carden: without risking either his own or the French ships a demonstration was to be made against the forts on the earliest suitable day from long range and with the ships underway. Approaching soon after daylight, Carden was instructed to retire before return fire from the forts became effective. At 5.45 that morning Carden's ships had opened fire, his objective being "to do as much damage as possible in a short time with a limited number of rounds at long range, and to turn away before the fire from the forts became effective." To accomplish this, he allowed a mere eight rounds per turret. Britain had commenced hostilities before the official declaration of war!

The immediate results were better than expected, particularly those obtained by the British battle cruisers, and included the destruction of Fort Seddel Bahr when its magazine exploded after being hit. "It seemed to me", noted an onlooker on Dublin, "to be a deliberate bombardment of practically every building in sight, care being taken not to hit the minaret. This would be because of its use for range finding and also perhaps of a wish not to offend religious sensibilities. The main target was certainly the fort, which we made a mess of, culminating in a huge explosion. There had been sporadic return fire from several positions but we certainly weren't hit and it was all a most one-sided affair." Djevad Pasha, the Turkish commandant, testified after the war that this attack, though more or less a reconnaissance, caused more damage than any succeeding attack. "The Turkish guns were quite outranged", noted the commander of HMS Harpy, "and as far as I could see, only a few ricochets came near us. I hope this war will be prosecuted with vigour, and that we shall not be content with a 20 minute bombardment occasionally." Asquith, however, was less impressed: "The shelling of a fort at the Dardanelles seems to have succeeded in blowing up a magazine", he wrote, adding cynically, "but that is peu de chose. At any rate we are now frankly at war with Turkey." This was, in a formal sense, still incorrect.

In Constantinople von Usedom admitted that the long range shooting had been remarkably good and the demonstration had produced near panic in the capital, resulting in a conference being convened of Government representatives and town authorities to discuss the measures to be taken to safeguard the city, its treasures, valuables, holy places, and the Sultan. There was even talk of laying a minefield in front of the Golden Horn while steam was raised in Goeben so that she could sail to the Dardanelles and assist if necessary. In London the Cabinet reached the conclusion that, due to the bombardment and destruction of the fort, "a final declaration of war against Turkey could no longer be postponed." On the afternoon of 4 November Tewfik Pasha, acting under instructions from Constantinople, called on Grey and asked for his passports. The following day Britain and France declared war on Turkey. Churchill would not let up; he asked Carden four days later to report on any way the Turks could be injured "without undue risk or expenditure of ammunition." Carden was not keen, replying that there was not much that could be done at present without using a full charge in the 12-inch guns. Undeterred, Churchill again asked Carden for his proposals for injuring the enemy. Almost in desperation, Carden replied that, apart from preventing contraband entering through the Dardanelles or Smyrna, which he was already doing, the only other option was a further bombardment. "The bombardment should be repeated", Churchill instructed on 16 November before Vice-Admiral Oliver's timely intervention prevented another futile demonstration. "Possibly", the Admiral minuted, "the guns have not enough remaining life to make it advisable to bombard again with full charges." The proposal lapsed for the time being.

http://www.gwpda.org/naval/turkmill.htm_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.

http://www.shgv.nl/KrantenArtikelen/1914.htm_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.

James Anson Otho Brooke (February 3, 1884 – October 29, 1914) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Brooke was a 30-year-old lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 29 October 1914 near Gheluvelt, Belgium, Lieutenant Brooke led two attacks on the German trenches under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, regaining a lost trench at a very critical moment. By his marked coolness and promptitude on this occasion, Lieutenant Brooke prevented the enemy from breaking through the British line at a time when a general counter-attack could not have been organised. Having regained the lost trench, he went back to bring up supports, and while doing so, was killed.

Lieutenant Brooke was posthumously promoted to captain, effective to September 1914. He is interred at Zantvoorde British Cemetery (CWGC), Zonnebeke, Belgium (near Ypres).

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Mrs. E. Robson of Elmsley Street, Steeton received official notification from the War Office on Tuesday morning that her son, Private Thomas N. Robson, of the 1st Battalion 1st Division of the Scots Guards, had died of wounds received in action on October 7th. He died in the First Clearing Hospital, but the nature of his wounds is not stated.

Private Robson, who would have been 21 years of age the week following his death, before the war was serving his apprenticeship as a drawing overlooker at Messrs. John Clough and Sons. In the early part of November last he answered his country's call, and after about three months' training he was drafted to France. The last letter received by his mother was dated October 2nd, in which he said he was going to join his regiment after coming out of hospital the day before, where he had been two or three weeks suffering from a severe chill. Much sympathy is felt for Mrs. Robson, who has another son who answered his country's call in Australia and joined the Colonial Forces. He is now fighting in the Dardanelles.

http://www.cpgw.org.uk/pioneer_articles.cfm?sID=109-04_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.

Aristide Briand - President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Joseph Galliéni - Minister of War
Louis Malvy - Minister of the Interior
Alexandre Ribot - Minister of Finance
Albert Métin - Minister of Labour and Social Security Provisions
René Viviani - Minister of Justice
Lucien Lacaze - Minister of Marine
Paul Painlevé - Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts
Jules Méline - Minister of Agriculture
Gaston Doumergue - Minister of Colonies
Marcel Sembat - Minister of Public Works
Étienne Clémentel - Minister of Commerce, Industry, Posts, and Telegraphs
Léon Bourgeois - Minister of State
Denys Cochin - Minister of State
Émile Combes - Minister of State
Charles de Freycinet - Minister of State
Jules Guesde - Minister of State

Changes
15 November 1915 - Paul Painlevé becomes Minister of Inventions for the National Defense in addition to being Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts.
16 March 1916 - Pierre Auguste Roques succeeds Galliéni as Minister of War

The missionary sub-committee of the Central Committee for the General Assembly of Catholics in Germany convened in Berlin on 29 October 1915 and views it as its irrefutable duty to let its voice be heard in order that the exceedingly harsh measures being implemented at the present time by the Turkish government against the Armenians are immediately called to a halt. Whatever the Armenians can be accused of committing, the precept of humanity, a precept which even the Turkish Government cannot reject, still demands that evasive action be taken against the imminent extermination of the entire Armenian race.
The Assembly has trust in the leadership of the German Empire to assume that everything possible within its power has been carried out to relieve the suffering of the Armenians. In view of the continuing terrifying events in Armenia, it requests that you unremittingly follow diplomatic paths to influence the Government of our Turkish ally to do its utmost to relieve the suffering of the Armenians, all of which could be carried out without endangering our military relationship.

The Turkish Government will have to understand that the Christian population in Germany, despite its friendly political alliance with Turkey, will certainly be embroiled in agitation if their fellow believers are so severely suppressed in Turkey. Even more so, as every German Catholic -and this poignantly transpired from the meetings of the missionary sub-committee -supports the view of demanding complete loyalty to the Turkish State from the Christian population in Turkey. Furthermore, German Catholics are prepared to influence the oriental Christians in this direction and to awaken in them the understanding for civil convictions.

Moreover, it is in the best interests of Turkey itself not to deprive itself of those valuable workers, such as the Armenians, who have been efficient in the areas of state administration and economic progress up until now.

Most of all we request from the Reichskanzler to keep a watchful eye upon the situation so that under no circumstances will similar incidents take place against Christian populations in other parts of the Turkish Empire.

The representatives of the German Catholics who have undersigned the Missionary Committee’s report harbour complete trust in the leadership of the German Empire and towards the friendly Government of Turkey. Moreover, through remedying the disgraceful situation mentioned, our alliance with Turkey can continue to find a cordial atmosphere and participation within the Christian population of Germany.

Signed in the name of all those organisations representing the German Catholics.

Regimental History of New Zealand Cyclist Corps in The Great War 1914-1918

Chapter V. — In The Trenches
On the 29th October, 1916, the Unit was transferred to Frank's Force, a composite Division composed of a Brigade each, N.Z. (2nd Brigade) and 103rd Brigade (Imperial Infantry), and engaged in holding the line from Houplines to Bois Grenier. The Battalion marched (without cycles) via Erquinghem to Armentieres on the afternoon of the 30th October, where it occupied billets in Rue Sadi Carnot. Next day it moved up to the line and joined the 25th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Lieut.-Col. Stewart) being attached to that Battalion for tactical purposes. Rear Headquarters and Transport were located in Boulevard Faudherbe in Armentieres.

We rook over a Company Sector in the line having two of our Companies in the front line and the third in the Subsidiary line. Advanced Headquarters at Square Farm (Chapelle Armentieres). We remained in this Sector for four weeks, changing from front to S. S. line every four days.

North British and Mercantile Insurance Company
Second Lieutenant David Aymery Stuart, Cameron Highlanders, was the younger son of Alexander Stuart, Advocate General Superintendent, and Margaret Haig Stuart, of Lochrin House, Edinburgh. He was born in Edinburgh and worked in the Edinburgh Head Office of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company. On 29 October, 1916, age 21, he was killed in an aeroplane accident near Corstorphine, Midlothian. Described as a "well‐known all round athlete”, his death was “much regretted by his colleagues, with whom he was deservedly popular". Surviving brother was Alexander. In the 1901 Census, the household also had a Governess and two Domestic Servants.

(...) By the latter part of October 1916, not quite five months after the Battle of Jutland, the Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, realised that what mattered was no longer victory over the German High Seas Fleet, but over the submarine menace. In a memorandum of 29 October to Lord Balfour, the then First Lord of the Admiralty, he wrote: ‘There appears to be a serious danger that our losses in merchant ships, combined with the losses in neutral merchant ships, may by the early summer of 1917 have such a serious effect upon the import of food and other necessaries into allied countries as to force us into accepting peace terms, which the military position on the Continent would not justify and which would fall far short of our desires.’

On 2 November Jellicoe attended a meeting of the Government’s War Committee together with Admiral Sir Henry Jackson, the First Sea Lord, and Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Oliver, Chief of the War Staff and later Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff. Professor Temple Patterson, one of Jellicoe’s biographers, records that at this meeting ‘anti-submarine measures were discussed, including the convoy system, which all three admirals regarded as impracticable’. (...)

Beschrijving - Soldiers of an Australian 4th Division field artillery brigade on a duckboard track passing through Chateau Wood, near Hooge in the Ypres salient, 29 October 1917.
The leading soldier is Gunner James Fulton and the second soldier is Lieutenant Anthony Devine. The men belong to a battery of the 10th Field Artillery Brigade.
Datum - 29 oktober 1917

In his book, Ten Days That Shook the World, John Reed described Alexander Kerensky and the Cossacks entry into Tsarkoye Selo on 29th October, 1917.

The Cossacks entered Tsarskoye Selo, Kerensky himself riding a white horse and all the church-bells clamouring. There was no battle. But Kerensky made a fatal blunder. At seven in the morning he sent word to the Second Tsarskoye Selo Rifles to lay down their arms. The soldiers replied they would remain neutral, but would not disarm. Kerensky gave them ten minutes in which to obey. This angered the soldiers; for eight months they had been governing themselves by committee, and this smacked of the old regime. A few minutes later Cossack artillery opened fire on the barracks, killing eight men. From that moment there were no more 'neutral' soldiers in Tsarskoye.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSkerensky.htm_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.

I have answered all your letters that have been received to date but having a few spare minutes I thought I could spend them in no better way than to scratch off a few lines to you which will let you know that Im still alive, well and kicking.

I am pretty comfortable right now for although the outfit is still at the front I am back aways for military reasons. We are still on the sector from which I last wrote and as there is talk around that we are soon to be releaved we may leave here any time and take up front line positions some where else.

Ran into some of the old bunch the other day and it seemed like old times while our conversation lasted. I learned quite a lot about where and how most of the old company is now and beleive me it was interesting. Of coarse it is too bad about some but on the whole I think the boys are pretty well accounted for. Perhaps you get news now and then about some of the bunch and if you get any please shoot it along, for it will be appreciated.

There may be a lot of peace talk going around but take it from me we are not getting or giving any (far from giving) I tell you. Outside of what Ive said everything is the same. There should be mail along any day now and Im looking forward to some news from you.

I hope this finds every one as well as your last letter did and stay clear of that Spanish stuff. I will close regards to all

Mr. HOLT asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, before any badge is granted to officers of the Merchant Service whose ship has been torpedoed, an inquiry will be made into the circumstances and the Admiralty and the shipowners consulted, so that the badge may be withheld from officers who 1289 have contributed to the loss by disobedience to Admiralty instructions, negligence, or other misconduct?

Mr. WARDLE The hon. Member is perhaps not aware that torpedo badges are only issued to officers and men who, after being torpedoed, have completed a subsequent voyage in a British ship. Over 9,000 badges have already been issued. It is not considered necessary in this connection to make the special inquiries suggested in the question.

Mr. HOLT Am I to understand that a badge of honour may be given to a man who has lost his ship by gross misconduct?

Mr. WARDLE There are other methods of dealing with the question of a man who has been guilty of negligence. If a case, arises where an officer disobeys Admiralty instructions, or is guilty of neglect or misconduct, such a case can be dealt with separately, so far as can be found practical and desirable, by means other than withholding the torpedo badge, which is to show that a man has been on a chip which has been torpedoed and has gone to sea again.

Whilst often seen as a place of great celebration, St Paul's is also known as a location for national mourning and remembrance.
In recent times, crowds have flocked to the Cathedral in the wake of terrorist acts in America (2001) and London (2005). Going back a century, the victims of the Titanic (1912) were remembered at St Paul's, as were Captain Scott and his team (1913), who perished in the Antarctic.
And it was in that period, as the Great War of 1914-1918 was raging across Europe, that the most famous female casualty of the war was remembered at St Paul's.
On 29 October 1915, hundreds of nurses and other mourners packed St Paul's to remember nurse Edith Cavell, executed by German forces after being found guilty of treason.

Cavell had been working for the Red Cross in Belgium, treating soldiers from both sides without distinction. Holding strong Anglican beliefs, Cavell went about smuggling hundreds of British soldiers out of German-controlled Belgium into the neutral Netherlands, an act for which she was arrested and tried.
Despite widespread international outcry, Cavell was executed by firing squad on 12 October 1915, aged 49.
The British people were shocked at what was seen as an act of great barbarism and it is thought that recruitment into the Army had doubled within two months of her death.
With a nation in mourning for a 'martyred' nurse, an act of remembrance was arranged for St Paul's. On the day of the service, huge crowds gathered to get inside the Cathedral. One newspaper reported: "Countless people were turned away, and fifteen minutes after the doors were opened notices that the church was full were posted."
The service was based on readings, prayers and hymns, including Abide with Me, the words to which were reputedly recited by Cavell before her execution.
It would be another four years before Cavell's body was brought back to England. She received a funeral service at Westminster Abbey before being interred in Norwich Cathedral, close to her family home.
Today, Edith Cavell's legacy lives on. She is memorialised in many parts of the UK as well as around the world, as far afield as the USA and Australia. Numerous streets, schools and hospital wards also bear her name the world over.
Within the Church of England, 12 October is set as a day to remember Edith Cavell.

https://www.wereldoorlog1418.nl/keizer-wilhelm/vlucht/_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.

http://www.engelsekamp.frl/over-about/incidenten/_________________
"A grand canyon has opened up in our world, the fissure, the crack, grows wider every day. Neither on each side can hear a word that the other shrieks and nor do they want to."
-Stephen Fry on political correctness.